So true. I was a big fan of City of Evil, then they put this out What's with "A Little Piece of Heaven"? It's like they're tring to be Mr. Bungle, but fail miserably. M Shadows could never pull off what Mike Patten does.

Never really liked any of their albums, but I gave them one last chance as this was hyped up to be good.But nah, just didn't do it for me. At all. This is worse than their old stuff in my opinion, so I'm just giving up on A7X now.

Ive heard Critical acclaim, Almost Easy, scream and A Little Peace Of Heaven....and MAN! that was disapointing! I never expected A7X to lose their inspiration, just listen to how they have improved from their new-thinking Metalcore cd Waking the fallen, to their heavy metal masterpiece City of evil, and now THAT. They really had the power and the put all their potencial in City of evil.I think they are going the same way as metallica were going when they put out "LOAD" and "RELOAD", and im not overreacting. BTW im a now-dying die-hard fan of Avenged Sevenfold.But im not going to let this album destroy my joy of listening to "Cìty Of Evil"though.

His real name is Brian Elwin Haner Jr.I actually REALLY like this album, I disliked it to begin with but it really does grow on you the more you listen. I love the guitar parts, n the vocals n everything. Listen to it whilst driving, so your not too intent or picking up differences, listen openly, that's how I came to love it.Best intro for an album...."shh be quiet, you might piss somebody off, LIKE ME....."

I've listened to it a couple times and actually saw them 2 nights ago live in support of the new album. I still think it's a lousy metal album. However, my opinion of it's a decent pop/mainstream album is slowly building. If anything, the concert was proof positive to my assessment.

Backstory: I'm 6'-6" tall and 285 lbs and athletic. Go to a decent amount of metal shows, and decide to go to this one. I can be a terror in the pit if I decide I want to be. The concert is on a sunday night and I've got work the next day, last thing I need are bruised ribs to make a monday any more miserable than they already are. I decide to get in in the pit but not mosh.

So I'm at the concert having enjoyed 2 of 3 of the opening acts (Black Tide, The Confession (I really liked them, decent metalcore), and Operator (not so much on these guys)). I progressively make my way closer to the stage with each act while me and my buddy take turns buying rounds. I get into the first 20 rows of people or so. All of a sudden I'm well over a foot taller than everyone around me. I really start to take in my surroundings: I'm knee deep in high school aged kids and girls. I look to my back, there are more and more older folks w/ beers making their way to the front. I can already see how this is going to end. Finish the last beer before the show starts and wait. Organs pipe in for the beginning of Critical Acclaim. The pit erupts. Apparently some folks decided to use me as a spearhead to get closer. I was just going to use a mosh pit to get closer but go with it. I get pushed to about the 4th row of folks off the rail. Now all of the highschoolers and girls realize that even if a band is somewhat marginally metal, doesn't mean that they won't put on a metal show. I get asked to crowd surf out about 20 younger guys and girls who want nothing more than out of there. The pit started about 60/40 guys/girls. After the first three songs it was approaching the status quo of 90/10 guys/girls as it is usually at metal shows.

Moral of the story: Metal shows are a male dominated contact sport, know what you're getting into if you're in the pit.

At any rate, the point is that the crowd demographic had shifted from the last I saw A7x to a much younger and more female crowd.

The Metallica example is a really good one. If you pick up the CD expecting a good metal album like City of Evil, then you'll be sorely disappointed. If you look at it as a decent hard rock/pop rock album, you'll probably be less disappointed (and assuming you'd not heard Sound the Seventh Trumpet, Waking the Fallen, or City of Evil). Much like if you picked up Load and were unfamiliar with Metallica's previous catalog, you'd probably not be quite as disappointed. it's a decent hard rock album, but far away from their metal roots.

That all said, M. Shadows has opted to update his older material with his new vocal stylings rather than just screaming. Unholy Confessions sounded way better.

Oh, and at the concert, The Rev had the most amazing drum kit I've ever seen, featuring 3 kick drums.

Can't remember the whole set list but it was to the effect of (in no particular order): Critical Acclaim, Burn it Down, Beast and The Harlot, Almost Easy, Unholy Confessions, Bat Country, Sieze the Day, Scream, Afterlife.

Really like this album. I do listen to City of Evil more often though, but still, really enjoy listening to the 'white album'. For me, A7X is my most favourite band of those emerging in the past decade. Looking forward to their next one, eventhough the rev will be sorely missed...